Teenage Drama
by ScriptedLullabies
Summary: Paige and Emily know all about it, they've been through enough to be able to face anything thrown at them. But, are they really prepared for this one? Paily. Future Fic. Well it's definitely not a one-shot anymore...
1. Ch 1 : First Love

**Author's Note : **So, I really didn't think that I would end up writing another story. But for those of you who read my first story, you'd know how I said that my head is a jumbled mess of ideas and random thoughts. Well the idea for this story is getting on the way of the 'dark' and complex plot I have for **Reminiscence**. So I just need to get it out. It's something fluffy and funny (I hope, you decide though). I always wanted to write a future fic for them. Ah, of course feedback and review are welcomed and appreciated. Or maybe a favorite? Who knows. So, here goes…

* * *

Paige McCullers has it all. As lame as it sounds, just like one of those intro narrators would say in the beginning of a very cheesy romantic comedy trailer, but Paige wouldn't mind being an actual life proof of how reality could be better than the movies. She's married to the love of her life who's still breathtakingly beautiful and insanely hot even though she's soon going to turn 40. What do they say? Women are like fine wine, they get better with age? Nothing was truer than that and that fine Emily Fields wine is hers forever. They have two incredible kids; a bright, loving, insightful 14 year-old girl and a creative, energetic, funny, 7 year-old boy. She has a successful career as an architect while Emily owns a coffee shop. They own a house in the suburb with cars and money to spend. Suffice to say, life is good to one Paige McCullers.

Life is good… with the exception of days like today. Paige was working on her latest project in her office room when she heard several footsteps came in through the front door. Emily told her that she was gonna pick up the kids from school to make sure they got home in time to pack for the trip they were going to take that weekend. She heard some shuffling around in the front room, some mumbled voices, and then footsteps running up the stairs. The next thing she knew, the sound of a door upstairs being slammed hard rang throughout the house. Causing her body jerked up in her seat and her hand made an extra horizontal line that wasn't supposed to be on her original plan. She groaned inwardly, thinking about the hours it would take to start over. Frustrated by the thought, she decided to come out of her office and find out what's going on.

She made her way to the kitchen where she found Emily standing next to the counter, putting out some groceries into the cabinet, and her son Nate sitting in one of the chairs with his feet dangling on air, moving to and fro. The view distracted her from her initial intention, because she just reminded again how perfect her life was. She walked over to her son to find that he was busy pouring out his imagination onto a piece of paper.

"What do you have there, big guy?" Paige brushed Nate's hair softly, observing his drawing.

"It's me, you, mommy and Alex in front of our beach house. This is exactly how we should take a family photo later, with this exact position, because I don't wanna be in the middle anymore, I need a change!" Nate explained enthusiastically.

Paige chuckled at that, and then she kissed the top of his head before she approached her wife. Once she was standing right behind Emily, she circled her arms around her waist, kissing her shoulder lightly.

"Hey gorgeous, do you need a hand with that?" Paige asked thoughtfully.

Emily turned her body around to face Paige; she positioned her arms around her neck. She leaned in for a quick peck on her lips which made Paige smiled from ear to ear.

"No, but now that you asked, I do need your help with something else…" Emily said with a suggestive tone.

"Uh… I don't like the sound of that. It's Alex, isn't it?" Paige huffed, finally remembering the reason she got out of her office.

"I don't know what happened. She's clearly upset and I asked her about it but she didn't want to talk to me." Emily disclosed, tucking strand of hairs behind Paige's ear.

"And you want _me _to talk to her? Em, you know I'm no good with talking, especially when it comes to emotional stuff. Beside… you're her biological mother, I'm sure you have the upper hand to understand her, you're linked genetically." Paige argued, realizing how silly her reasoning was.

Emily scoffed, slapping her upper arm lightly, "She may have come out from me but she clearly takes after you, right down to your weird obsession with Star Trek…"

"Star Wars babe, there's a massive difference." Paige cut her off, with a fake serious look.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Fine, Star Wars, whatever. Would you please just try and talk to her?" Emily asked pleadingly, giving Paige her best puppy eyes.

"Fineeee… You don't have to pull that look, you're not playing fair, you know?" Paige mumbled, giving in to her wife's request.

* * *

Paige slowly made her way upstairs, dreading the conversation she would have with her daughter, if Alex wanted to talk that is. She stopped in front of her daughter's bedroom door, took a deep breath, and then knocked twice before calling out, "Alex?"

Hearing no response, she tentatively turned the door knob to find that the door was unlocked. She opened the door slightly and peaked into the room. She saw Alex lying on her bed, her back to the door. At first Paige thought she was asleep but then Alex decided to speak up.

"I didn't say you could come in." Alex said bitterly.

"Well you didn't say I couldn't either, and now I'm already inside, it's too late to change my mind." Paige replied as she slowly sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed, waiting for Alex to make the next move.

Alex stayed perfectly still and silent, hoping that her moms would give up trying to talk to her. Even though after a moment of wallowing, she kind of wanted to talk, and she knew that it was easier to talk to Paige, her mama understood her more in a way. She started to sit up, leaned her back on the headboard but still avoiding Paige's eyes.

"So… should I just guess what you're thinking right now? You know my mind reading power is kinda rusty lately." Paige joked, encouraging Alex to open up to her.

Alex sighed, her mama definitely knew how to break the ice, at least for her, that dry sense of humor was definitely working. She looked up to find that Paige was looking at her attentively.

"Alex, is this about a boy?" Paige guessed, trying to come up with possible reasons that got Alex so upset.

"What? No, ma! Ew…" Alex cringed at that. But she couldn't hide how close to home that guess was. She looked down to her knees; a dazed look was on her face.

Paige knew that look; she knew it all too well. She scooted closer to Alex and put her hand on her knee. "Is this about… a girl?"

Alex slightly went rigid, she never thought that she'd be telling anyone about this so soon, but she couldn't help it, she was falling hard for someone, and that someone happened to be a girl. She nodded, slowly looking up again, anxiously waiting for Paige's response.

"Oh." Paige tried to hide how the news astonished her. "Well then, all the more reason for you to tell me what's going on, you know how smooth I am with the ladies." Paige encouraged, arching her eyebrows smugly.

"You've only been with one lady!" Alex exclaimed, amused by the statement.

"And has she ever complained? Quality trumps quantity." Paige smirked proudly. "Come on, just tell me. Who is the lucky girl?"

Alex exhaled a long breath. "Her name is Emilia…"

"Wait; don't tell me you have somewhat an Electra complex…" Paige teased.

"Maaaa…" Alex retorted, slightly annoyed.

"Okay, okay. Shutting up now," Paige made a scene of crossing her fingers over her lips and throwing away the invisible key.

Alex huffed before she continued. "So, yeah, her name is Emilia. She is… the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She's like the most popular girl, even though we're just freshmen but everyone knows her. But she's not snobby; she's actually nice and kind. And smart too. Mr. Wilson paired us for a project, and she has no problem keeping up with my rambling of conspiracy theory and stuff. She even laughs at my jokes, though maybe it's because she's too nice…" Alex trailed off, her mind wandered to a certain brunette, she unconsciously smiled.

Paige couldn't help but smile, remembering back when she was in her daughter's shoes and it was exactly the same shoes or so to speak. "…and? Have you told her about how you feel?"

"Of course not! Even if she's interested in girls, she would never go for someone like me." Alex argued.

"Why not? You're a catch!"

"Really, Ma? Look at me." Alex pointed out, moving her hand up and down her body to make her point even more obvious. Alex was definitely a typical nerd, with glasses and all. She's kinda socially awkward, but her friends and teachers like her because she's nice, funny, and respectful to others.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with you. You're perfect." Paige meant every word. Alex looks a lot like Emily, so it's no question that she is beyond beautiful, but the way she carries herself make it seem more 'subtle'. And she is the perfect student and a loving sister to her brother, she couldn't ask for a better daughter.

"And you're biased."

"I've known you since you were born. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Paige moved her hand to hold her daughter's. "So what happened today? Did she do something to upset you?"

"No, it's not like that. It's just... Some jocks bullied me again…"

"Do I need to talk to Principal Martin again about this?" Paige interrupted, annoyed by the fact that her daughter got bullied again.

"No, no, don't, it's nothing I couldn't handle. And it's beside the point. I was at my locker, getting some books and stuff to bring home for homework. And then after I shut it closed, I felt a harsh tug on my backpack. The next thing I know, I was on the floor, my books and some papers scattered all over. And everyone laughed, Ma. And she was there too. I was so embarrassed." Alex buried her head in her hands.

"Well, did she laugh at you?" Paige inquired.

"No. I heard her scolded those guys and when I looked up from gathering my things, she was already next to me, helping me to pick up my stuff. Then she asked if I was okay. And I just nodded like an idiot." Alex muttered out.

"And then what happened?" Paige urged on, she got the feeling that she would like this Emilia girl.

"Then, again like the idiot that I am, I ran. When I looked back, I could see how confused she was." Alex sighed.

Paige shook her head at how dramatic her daughter could be. "Okay, first of all you're clearly not an idiot. Stop saying that word, it's not nice. And second, it is not too far fetch to think that she might be interested in you. I know how you think that she is perfect and she's out of your league just because she's popular, everyone likes her. Every guy wants to be with her. Maybe even some girls do too. But you need to give yourself more credit because you have something they don't have."

Alex scoffed. "Yeah, they don't have this nerdy look, these lame glasses, and they're not awkward. Sure, I give myself credit for those things. You should've seen how those jocks gawking at her, how other popular girls are sucking up to her. And one of those people would be a perfect match, with their good looks and stuff."

"Okay. Can I just tell you a story then? It's about me and mom."

"Ma, you told me and Nate that story a million times. And how is that supposed to help with anything? You guys met when you were so young, you were both the stars of the swim team, and everyone liked you. You were meant to be and now you live happily ever after, it's so perfectly fairy-tale like. Totally not how my situation is." Alex reasoned.

"No, you haven't heard this side of the story…"

"Are you sure? Cause Aunt Hanna used to tell me bedtime stories; well she still does with Nate sometimes. And they're obviously based on you and mom. And she has like many versions. There are ones with you as a peasant and mom as a princess; you as a shepherd and mom as the rich merchant's daughter; you as a warrior and mom as the kidnapped princess…"

"Okay, okay I get it already. Wait. Why am I always the low-life in these stories? I am princess material!" Paige exclaimed jokingly.

"I don't know! Ask Aunt Hanna about it!" Alex pouted, starting to feel impatient with where her mama was going with it.

"Right. Okay, so let me tell you our story from _my_ side."

"Fine." Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned backwards.

"So your mom and I, we didn't officially meet when we both joined the swim team. I mean yeah, maybe that was the first time she ever noticed me, like really noticed my existence. I was like you, well still is. I was awkward and shy. I was actually the new girl. I moved to Rosewood when I was in 8th grade. I didn't have any friends the first three months I was there. And due to the way I looked or how I carried myself, a lot of other kids liked to tease me. I always put my head down. One day, the very same thing that happened to you today happened to me too. And do you know who helped me that day?"

"Oh, I don't know, mom?" Alex answered sarcastically, though she was actually engrossed in the story.

"That's right indeed! And that was the first time I saw her. And like the way you described Emilia, your mom was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen in my entire life. She too scolded those guys and she helped picking up my stuff off the floor. And then she asked if I was okay, the next thing I knew, she smiled at me. Like really smiled that perfect smile that showed her dimples, you know?" Paige trailed on, the memory consumed her.

"And then what happened?" Alex asked curiously.

"Then I started to admire her from afar. I mean, I know how you feel, I was there too. I was the outsider, the weirdo who didn't belong, the new girl no one knew about. And your mom, she was popular; you know she and your aunts were the most popular girls in school. I mean, how could they not? And as I got to observe her more, she was definitely more than a pretty face. She was kind, caring, funny, smart, and athletic. I was just plain and average. I assured myself that I was being stupid, wanting someone that was so out of reach. Many of those jocks and the popular guys asked her out. I think she went on a few dates with some of them and when she came out, my competition just doubled." Paige sighed, remembering how that time wasn't really something she wanted to relive.

"Mom went out with other people? I thought you are each other's first?" Alex pointed out in disbelief.

"Well yeah, we are each other's first for… you know…"

"Right, right, move on please, spare me the details." Alex quickly interrupted; slight blush crept on her face.

"Well…In 9th grade I decided to join the swim team and as I showed everyone my worth, people started to notice me and I grew more confident with myself. At that time, your mom and I were more than just teammates; she befriended me even though we didn't hang out as much as she hung out with your aunts. We liked to stay longer after swim practice; we would talk about random stuff, about anything at all. Then one day when we were both sophomores, she said to me, 'why can't any of those girls who asked me out be like you, you're so easy to be around'. Hearing her said that gives me the confidence." Paige's face brightened as she reveled in what was gonna happen after that point.

"So you asked her out?" Alex asked growing excited with where the story was going.

"That I did! And she said yes. Can you believe that?" Paige shook her head internally, after all these years she still couldn't believe how lucky she was.

"And then? Wait…If the point of the story is that I need to wait a couple of years before I make my move then I gotta tell you that your story is pointless, Ma." Alex retorted.

"No, here's my point. After we went on several dates and I fell harder for her, I realized what the problem with all of her past suitors was. They all had been these typical popular kids who were so full of themselves. They were all good-looking, some took pride on how rich their parents were, some thought that they were so wanted that they could have anyone. So they all thought that they deserved to be with your mom, they believed they were so perfect, they took her for granted. I, however, never thought that I deserve her. So I knew not to waste my chance, I worked hard on myself, I wanted to be better for her, she deserved the best and I was willing to show that I would always try my hardest to be that for her, for us. In the end…well, you know how it goes from there." Paige concluded her story.

"So…What you and I have is… self-consciousness?" Alex guessed, biting her bottom lip.

Paige shook her head. "Not really, well we do have that but then it leads us to be humble. What we have is _humility_. And I could assure you, humility is something sexy and appealing, no matter how you look on the outside. Show her that you're worthy of her, _be_ worthy of her, instead of thinking that you do. Then when she finally sees you, she would never look the other way." Paige affirmed, smiling lovingly at her daughter.

They both sat in a comfortable silence before they heard the front door bell rang. They looked up, wondering who was at the door. They rarely got unannounced visitors. Then they heard Emily's voice calling out for Alex. "Alex, would you come down? You have a guest." Alex quirked hey eyebrows in confusion as Paige nudged her to get out of her room and go downstairs.

As they both made their way downstairs, Paige could see a young girl standing close to the front door, from the disbelief look on Alex's face, she assumed that the young girl was the famous Emilia. She could see how her daughter got all fidgety and reluctant to come over to the girl, so at the bottom of the stairs, she whispered to her daughter's ear, "You're right. She is beyond beautiful. So don't let her go. Go be _sexy_."

As Paige made her way to the kitchen, she could hear her daughter stuttered out her question, she shook her head internally, admitting that Alex does take after her, unfortunately a little bit too much.

"Em…Emilia, what...what are you doing here?" Alex asked, finally found her voice, her hands shoved to her jeans pocket. A typical McCullers move.

"I, um, I wanted to make sure that you're okay. You were pretty upset earlier and I just felt bad. I did text you to make sure that you're okay but because there was no response I decided to come and see you." Emilia answered nervously.

"Oh, wow, that's nice of you. I really am fine though. But wait, how did you manage to find my house?" Alex couldn't contain her amusement as she smiled shyly.

"Well, I asked around…" Emilia dipped her head down, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Um, you know, if you really are okay, would you want to maybe go out for coffee or something?"

Alex couldn't believe her ears, her eyes widened. _Did I knock my head and got a concussion or something?_ She gulped as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Um, I'd love to but I actually have a family…"

Paige's loud voice cut her off. "It's okay Alex, you could go, but don't take too long."

Alex shook her head; of course her moms would eavesdrop on her conversation. But she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed or mad, she was actually grateful at how understanding her mama was. So she took the chance, she immediately ran upstairs to get her cellphone and wallet. Then she escorted Emilia to the kitchen to say their goodbye and instantly they were out the door.

* * *

"What was that all about? You know she has to pack, we're supposed to depart in two hours." Emily argued as she was fixing up Nate's lunchbox for the trip.

"_That_…was probably the beginning of a beautiful love story. We might be looking at our future daughter-in-law there. And I gotta say, McCullers' clan has really great taste in women." Paige pointed out as she gripped Emily by the waist, pulling in her wife close to her.

"You're such a dork and a hopeless romantic, you know that?" Emily quipped as she arched her eyebrows and circled her hand behind Paige's neck.

"Guilty as charged." Paige smirked before she leaned in and captured Emily's lips in a passionate kiss.

Emily pulled back after a while. "You do know that you really are princess material, right? Because you are my princess charming." Emily said with a loving look, stroking the hair in the back of Paige's head.

"_Oh_, I could not believe you eavesdropped in a mother-daughter's heart to heart!" Paige scoffed in mock disbelief.

Emily chuckled and slapped her shoulder playfully. "How much did you hear, Em?" Paige asked in a more serious tone.

Emily gazed at her wife's eyes, hoping that she could convey the abundant love she had for Paige. "I've heard enough to assure you that I'm the lucky one, because you never stop trying to be what I want _and_ what I need. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. And just so you know, I already fell for you from the first moment I saw you."

"Then why didn't you ask me out first?" Paige asked curiously.

"Because I was so used to those 'full of themselves' popular kids making their moves on me, I never thought someone like you would ever notice me." Emily admitted shyly, even after all this time her wife's gaze could still make her blush.

Paige pulled her wife closer, making their body flushed together. She caressed Emily's cheek as she stared at her right in the eye. "How could I not? You're the only one I see, Em." Paige said softly before once again captured Emily's lips in sweet and passionate kisses.

* * *

**P.S. **: Hey there! So I did intend for this to be a one shot but then the reviews and responses I got so far have encouraged me to at least write another chapter. What do you say though? Let me know what you think! (28/9)


	2. Ch 2 : Valentine's Day

**Author's Note : **So here goes, you asked for it and you got it! You know, maybe the quantity of the reviews or PM I got about this story is nothing compared to many other stories. And though they say there's strength in number, I still believe in how powerful nice words could be, no matter how short and few they may seem. And so those nice words had encouraged me to continue this little story, thank you so much!

And I know some of you want to know how the date went, but, um…well, my imagination works differently. Hope you enjoy it, and do tell what you think!

* * *

Emily trudged upstairs, making her way to Alex's room. She had called out to her many times and got no response. That would be a first, her daughter was always so aware of her surrounding even when she's so focused on studying. When she reached her daughter's room, she saw that the door was slightly ajar, she could hear some music playing from inside, the song that was playing though, it was a _pop love song_; something she knew for sure was not in Alex's preference of music genres. But of course things change, her daughter was changing, that's for sure and Emily knew what had brought this particular change in her daughter's life. Emily took a peak inside, noticing how Alex was sitting down at her desk, her shoulders slouched, she propped her elbow on the desk, holding her head in it. Emily opened the door a little bit wider and slipped inside slowly; curious on what Alex was clearly so invested in to the point that she didn't hear Emily calling out to her. When she got a glance over her daughter's shoulder, she could see that her daughter was sketching out a face of a girl, with dark wavy hair, bright warm eyes, and a crooked smile. _Well, of course, who else would she draw of?_

Alex was oblivious to the fact that her mom was standing behind her, looking over to what she was doing. She let out a long breath, huffed and grumbled to herself, getting frustrated by the fact that she couldn't get Emilia's nose right, she had made and re-made it too many times and she started to lose her confidence on her decision to give Emilia a hand-made Valentine's Day gift. She threw her hands up in defeat and accidentally hit her mom's elbow. Surprised by the contact, she hastily turned around and stood up; covering her work of art she was working on, if you could call it a work of art that is.

"Mom! What…what are you doing here? How long have you been standing there? Do you need something?" Alex stuttered out her train of questions.

Emily smiled mischievously, enjoying how nervous her daughter was. "Well I tried calling you for dinner and I got no response so I decided to just check up on you, making sure that you're okay."

"Of course, of course I'm okay! Why wouldn't I be?" Alex practically yelled out her answer, but then she realized how loud she sounded, "I'm sorry Mom, I didn't hear you, I was busy…"

"So I've seen…" Emily trailed off, nodding. "Is it school work?" Emily asked, though she already knew the answer and she just wanted to see her daughter squirm. Okay, she knew she was enjoying this way too much, but she couldn't help it.

"Um, no, no…" Alex muttered, her hands trying to scramble up the mess of papers behind her back. "It's actually…um…" Alex dipped her head down; she couldn't bring herself to tell her mom about this, about _struggling _on making a gift for Emilia. "It's just some drawing for fun…"

"I see. Well can I see it then? You know I always love your drawings." Emily asked, starting to move around her daughter to reach the paper behind her.

"NO! NO! It's not finished yet!" Alex yelled out again, eyes widened. Her hand was clutching hard onto the papers behind her back.

Emily was taken aback by the sudden reaction, took a step backward, and folded her arms in front of her chest, pretending to be mad. "Okay, you know it's not right to raise your voice, young lady."

Alex's head dipped lower, flush creeping down her neck, embarrassed and guilt-ridden. "I, I know. I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to…"

Emily decided to quit playing around, as she saw how uncomfortable her daughter really was. She tentatively reached out her hand, putting it on Alex's shoulder which caused Alex to look up at her, but not really looking at her.

"Alex, what's going on? What are you so stressed out about?" Emily asked softly, her maternal instinct kicked in.

Alex sighed. Her grip behind her back relaxed a bit as she slowly put down the papers and then she crossed her hands in front of her chest, looking down at her feet. Emily shook her shoulder a bit, encouraging her to open up.

"I…it's just some stupid drawing of Emilia that I couldn't get right, even if I can, it's still not good enough…" Alex mumbled out, looking defeated.

"Not good enough for what?" Emily urged.

"For…you know, um, Valentine's Day." Alex murmured, looking up to see her mom's reaction.

"_Oh_." Everything clicked in Emily's mind then. "Have you two agreed to exchange hand-made gifts?" Emily asked, genuinely curious about her daughter's love life, Paige is always the one Alex goes to for advice, Emily does aware of that and she would like to change that, she wants Alex to be able to talk to her too.

"No, not really, it's just…" Alex started then sighed. "When is Mama gonna be home?"

Paige had been in New York for the past 10 days, working on her latest project, watching over the progress her team has made on construction site. She was supposed to be there for two weeks but seeing that everything was going smoothly, she decided to come home sooner, planning on taking her family out to the city for dinner on Monday evening.

Emily arched her eyebrows, confused at her daughter's question. "You know she'll come home on Monday, why?"

Alex shrugged, looking the other way. "I just feel she understands me more with…these things…"

Emily flinched, feigning hurt. "I can't believe you trust your mama more than me!" She slapped her hand on her chest for dramatic effect.

Alex instantly panicked, guilt washed all over her again. "No, mom, it's not like that, it's just…Mama knows how it feels to be in my position, to be the one who pursue the girl and wanting to impress the girl and…"

Emily put both of her hands on her hip, "I beg your pardon, I played a role in that process too, you know?" Emily pouted playfully.

"Yeah, like what? Like _letting_ mama walking you to class, holding the door for you, bringing your books for you, buying your morning coffee and…" Alex pointed out almost sarcastically, realizing how her mom had been playing around with her earlier on.

"Fine, fine, fine, she did all of those things. But I _did_ my part as an incredible girlfriend after she asked me to be hers." Emily huffed, trying to defend herself, feeling silly that she was trying to defend herself to her own daughter.

"Yeah I know, but still, I just…I don't want to sound stupid when I talk to you, and you know how mama can act 'stupidly' sometimes, it makes it easier for me. Ugh, I don't know…" Alex huffed, blowing hair out of her face.

"Well, you can try me." Emily offered, looking at her daughter thoughtfully.

Alex scrunched up her eyebrows, contemplating her next move. "Fineee…"

They both made their ways to Alex's bed; Emily sat down near the end of the bed, while Alex slump her body down close to the headboard, took up her pillow and then hugged it loosely in front of her chest. After a second she met her mom's eyes, realizing how she was waiting for her to speak up.

Emily felt Alex was hesitating so she started out. "So, tell me, what got you so stressed out about all of these? Emilia is already your girlfriend, you don't need to try too hard to impress her; she clearly cares about you a lot. I'm sure whatever you do or make for her, she'd love it."

"You think so, Mom? I mean, I think I know, but…this is our first Valentine's together and I want it to be memorable, I want to do something romantic for her. And that's why I need to talk to Mama about it, from what I've heard so far, she's the romantic one between the two of you…"

"I'm romantic too!" Emily protested.

"Well mama is _more_ romantic, or so I've gathered." Alex stated doubtfully.

Emily started to open her mouth but she couldn't deny it, Paige is romantic, always has been, and her wife always does all of these unexpected sweet things for her. "Fine, your mama is _slightly _more romantic than I am." Emily finally admitted, but trying to keep her pride intact. "But that doesn't mean I can't help you with the matter at hand."

"I guess so…I just, well, I thought if I want to make it special then it has to be something from the heart, buying things would be too superficial, right?" Alex asked.

"Right, your mama and I, we rarely buy things for each other, unless we know for sure it has some kind sentimental values, like the time I bought her that weird grizzly big foot figurine thingy…"

"He's called Chewbacca! And it's not weird; it's a classic collector edition!" Alex immediately interjected, slightly offended by the fact that her mom just called Chewbacca a weird grizzly big foot, really, who does that?

"Ugh, right, right, I forgot how much you take after her." Emily said dismissively. "But yeah, whenever we have something to celebrate, like our anniversary or birthdays, we would try to simply create moments, something we could hold on to for quite some time, or maybe even forever. And I'll admit, that Casanova mother of yours, she really knows how to sweep me off of my feet." Emily smiled sheepishly, reminiscing on memories she had with Paige.

"Like what kind of moments, Mom?"

"Hmm, let's see. Ah! This is one I'm sure we haven't shared with you. So after we graduated college, we finally moved in together, we rented out our first apartment. It was the smallest apartment you could imagine with only one bedroom, but we didn't mind, cause we were young, naïve, and so in love. I even thought I could live in a cardboard box and still be happy because I was with the love of my life…" Emily noticed the changing expression on her daughter's face, one of mock annoyance. "…yeah I know, we were so in love, it always annoyed your aunts too." Emily couldn't help but grin widely.

"And then?" Alex urged on.

"Then, like we both expected, for the first half year, we were struggling. We had no money whatsoever, only enough to get by on daily basis. Your mama at the time was only an intern in this big architectural firm, and I was an assistant coach, we both had side jobs too but we definitely didn't have the stable and sufficient incomes. We held on, we knew it was just the beginning and it wasn't supposed to be easy, and again we had each other so…"

"My aunts are right; it's kinda sickening how in love you two are." Alex smirked playfully.

Emily chuckled, shaking her head. "In time, you'll find out for yourself how it is. So anyway, it was around our 7th anniversary, we wanted to celebrate it properly but we couldn't even afford a nice dinner, I could tell how frustrated your mama was and I assured her that we didn't need big fancy celebrations; we could just stay in and enjoy being together. But of course, your mama, as determined as she is, she wouldn't let it go. A day before our anniversary, it was a Sunday. It started out normal, I made her breakfast, and we cuddled on the couch just being lazy. Around noon she asked me if I wanted to go for a ride, I asked her where we are going. She just smiled and told me to trust her."

"We drove around for a bit until we reached this neighborhood in the suburb area. It was nice, with all of these big modern houses, with white picket fence and all. We drove to the end of the block where I could see some houses still in construction. Then your mama stopped the car in front of one of those houses, she got out, opened the door for me and took my hand, asked me to follow her. We walked into one of the house's front lawn and she guided me toward the side of the house and then we found ourselves in this big backyard, with short green grass and a cute little garden in the corner…"

"Okay, so far it doesn't help me to come up with any kind of romantic scenario for Emilia and I…" Alex interrupted, getting impatient.

"Patience, young Jedi." Emily quipped teasingly.

"That you got it right, but Chewbacca is a weird grizzly big foot? Unbelievable…" Alex threw her hands up in the air.

"Hey! Give me some credit with that one will you? I do pay attention every time you and your mama decided to have a Star Wars movie marathon." Emily retaliated in mock defense.

"Alright, alright. Carry on with the story please…"

"So yeah, we were standing in the middle of that big lawn when I finally noticed there was a gramophone sitting on a small table close to the garden…" Emily continued only to be cut again by her teenage daughter.

"A gra…what now?" Alex scrunched up her eyebrows, clearly confused with that ancient term.

"A gramo…ah never mind, it's a thing of the past. Anyway, it's an antique record player. So your mama told me to stand still while she went over the table to set out some music. As the music started playing, she made her way back to me, took my hand and asked me to dance with her…" Emily saw Alex's dubious look. "I know, I know, cheesy right? But that's just your mama; we danced for a couple of minutes before I saw this big grin growing on her face. It was that mischievous grin of hers and I just knew she was up to no good. Before I could ask her anything, we were suddenly sprayed by the sprinklers around the lawn. We were getting soaked fast, and I tried to release myself from your ma's embrace but she kept holding me tight, laughing, enjoying the slight panic I had. I asked her 'are you crazy?!' She just shook her head lightly and then looked at me intensely. You know I could never explain how your ma's gaze just captivates me…" Emily trailed off, a dreamy look on her face, recalling every single time Paige looks at her with that kind of intensity that makes her feel loved, adored, wanted.

Alex cleared her throat. "Ahm, okay, could we please get to the part where Mama explained her crazy behavior?"

"Right, sorry. So yeah I asked her again what she was thinking. She smiled lovingly and then she whispered to me 'our first kiss, our first dance'. And everything just clicked. I felt this ease washed over me as she still held me tight, moving slowly to the music. She didn't need any more words, I finally understood her and just like that, we kept dancing, kissing, giggling like we didn't have the care in the world. Because it was me and her and it was enough…"

"Um…Okay, I still don't see the point here, Mom." Alex stated confusingly.

Emily chuckled. "That's because I haven't told you yet. You see, when we got together back in high school, I was a sucker for those romantic old movies. And the idea of kissing and dancing under the rain were just magical to me. Of course your mama didn't share the same fascination with those said movies, but still, being as thoughtful as she is, she somehow found a way to make sure that our first kiss and our first dance happened on a rainy day. It was our third date and she insisted that we didn't need to take my car so she ended up walking me home and just suddenly, the rain poured on us. Well the weather forecast was pretty clear that day so… And before we reached my house, she pulled me toward the street, offered her hand and when I took it, she pulled me closer. She hummed my favorite song and we began swaying carelessly, freely. After the excitement went down, she held me closer, brushed my cheek softly, looked right in my eyes with no pretenses and that's when we had our first kiss. It didn't feel forced or too mechanical, we both felt like it was right. So, yeah, that's why the simple gesture she did for our 7th anniversary meant a lot more than any fancy dinner or expensive gifts."

Alex nodded her head a couple times before a small smile grew on her face. The love story between her parents was something she grew up listening to, many times, whether it's real or pure fiction with weird story lines and made-up creepy creatures lurking around the couple, courtesy of her crazy aunt, Hanna Marin, oh wait that's Hanna Rivers now. Even without the stories, she witnesses it everyday, how in love her parents are. How they adore and cherish each other; how they seem to appreciate the little things, the smile and laughter they share, how they get entranced with the silly stories Nate would tell them after school day, the boring science tournament they would go to support her, clapping and shouting their encouraging words too loudly, to the point where Alex can feel her cheeks burn in embarrassment. But even then, she can't deny how good it makes her feel, having such supportive parents. Alex can only wish that someday she would find that one person who she loves truly and will love her back unconditionally, just like her parents have found each other. Alex was so lost in thoughts, she didn't realize that her mom had moved closer to her and that her hand was now on hers, squeezing lightly.

"You don't need to think too hard. Just try to remember the things both of you have shared. Maybe you can pick up something from the things she likes, the little dreams she has, the silly gestures only you and her can appreciate." Emily smiled thoughtfully, trying to convince her daughter that she will figure out the perfect gift for Valentine's Day.

"Thanks Mom. Um…I think I have an idea. But I would need your help."

* * *

Emilia threw herself onto her bed, groaned softly as her face made contact with her pillow. The day had been tiring and frustrating, her friends had convinced her to go on a shopping spree with them and it was the longest retail therapy she had ever gone through. She wanted to refuse, but of course, solidarity got in the way. One of her friends just broke up from her boyfriend and she needed her support to make it through the hardship. With all of the advances technology has to offer these days, why can't someone just teleport those shops right into their rooms so she hadn't had to endure walking around in the mall for 6 hours. Emilia sighed before she turned her face to look at her bedside table, commanding her phone to 'text Alex'. At least technology helps her to still be in contact with her girlfriend without having to move a finger. She uttered out her message.

_I miss you today. I wish I could spend this Sunday with you after our date last night got cut off short :( __ –Millie_

They had a date the night before and right after they finished watching a movie, Emilia got a call from her friend, the one who just got her heart shattered, or so she said, saying that she needed Emilia and the girls to cheer her up. Emilia wanted to turn down her request, but of course, Alex is nothing but understanding and she encouraged Emilia to go and cheer her friend up. She looked at the holographic screen one more time before she sent out the message. Not a minute passed by and she already got a reply. Alex always replies fast even if she's busy, she would at least inform her that she's busy and that she would get back to her as soon as possible.

_I miss you too. And be careful what you wish for ;) –Alex_

The reply got Emilia slightly confused, she just knew that Alex meant more by it, but what? Either she was too tired to think about the possibilities or she instantly got too excited by the chance that maybe Alex did mean something more and that adorable girlfriend of hers had planned something for them. Obviously it was the latter. No matter how tired she was, she knew for sure that seeing her girlfriend would worth every last energy she had left.

_You mean I'd get to see you today? Can I? –Millie_

It was only a beat before she got another cryptic reply from Alex.

_Your wish is my command. Go out to your balcony –Alex _

Emilia promptly jumped out of her bed, going to her full body's mirror, straightened out her clothes and her hair, making sure that she looked presentable just in case Alex was already standing outside under her balcony, waiting for her to come out. As she took several steps toward the door, she let out long breaths, trying to calm herself. She was too excited, she couldn't explain why. They had only been dating officially for 1 month, 23 days, 17 hours, but she knew she was falling hard for Alex. Well guess it's obvious enough when you keep the exact countdown of your time together and why wouldn't she? Alex is sweet, kind, thoughtful, funny, smart, and incredibly beautiful, if only the other girl could see it for herself. Emilia pressed the door knob with certainty and was startled by the view that greeted her. Alex really was standing there, not under her balcony, but standing _in_ her balcony, with that goofy grin and her warm brown eyes looking intently at her.

"Alex! How did you get in here?" Emilia managed to ask through her confusion, but with a sweet smile nonetheless.

"I wish I could charm you with my athleticism and tell you that I climbed that tree to get over here but we both know I can't pull it off." Alex sighed playfully, her eyes fixed on the girl before her with the intensity that could pierce through rock like that laser beam coming out of Cyclops' eyes. Yeah, it's a dorky analogy, Alex was aware of that. "Your mom let me in." Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought I'd surprise you and so I've been waiting for you to come back home…" Alex started to move toward her girlfriend, taking a grip on Emilia's waist with her right hand, pulling her closer.

Emilia could feel her heart skip a beat, the common reaction whenever her girlfriend touch her, kiss her or just stand there looking at her. She could even feel Alex's breath on her face, as she started to get lost in her deep loving gaze. "And why were you waiting for me out here?" Emilia asked, as she felt Alex got a hold on her hand, placing their hands between their chests, right over her heart.

"I'm here to ask you to dance…" Alex smiled genuinely.

"I thought you said you don't dance." Emilia replied with her growing confusion.

"Well, if Landon Carter can learn how to dance, surely I with my two left feet can do the same…" Alex said as she started to sway slowly to the music.

Emilia quirked her eyebrows, she then looked over to the corner of her balcony and saw a music player attached to a portable speaker, and as she listened carefully, she realized it was playing out one of her favorite songs from one of her favorite old romantic movies, A Walk To Remember, the same movie she had dragged Alex to watch with her for more than 5 times though she knew how her girlfriend dislike those cheesy romantic movies. She looked back to Alex, staring right in her eyes as she placed her hand on Alex's shoulder.

"I can't believe you remember, I thought you were daydreaming every time we watched that movie." Emilia said as she run her hand through Alex's hair softly.

"Well I was not paying attention indeed, for most of the time, but I didn't daydream, I was looking at you, seeing every gasp and sigh you would make whenever a sweet scene comes up. And I did notice how you always said that the scene on Jamie's balcony where they danced while this song was playing on the background was something you would wanna try someday." Alex elaborated before she stretched out her left hand high and swirled Emilia around, a little awkwardly, but who could blame her, it was her first time dancing. And Emilia didn't seem to mind.

They both started to sway together to the music, relishing in how close they were to each other. Alex's hand returned on Emilia's waist, while the other hand holding tightly to Emilia's right hand, placing it close to her own heart once again. With her hand on Alex's shoulder, Emilia laid down her cheek on top of her hand, snuggling her face close to her girlfriend's neck, taking in the warmth of her skin. She started to hum along softly to the tune. Alex slowly laid her head on top of Emilia's, kissing her temple lightly. "So do you like your early Valentine's Day gift?" Alex whispered to her ear.

"This is the best gift ever. I love it so much, thank you." Emilia mumbled, moving her head closer to Alex's neck, smiling as she could hear Alex's heart beating hard and fast.

They danced for a while, finding their ways to move more fluently and gracefully to the music. Alex had managed to stop thumping on Millie's foot every now and then, and the swirls they did were becoming more and more natural and fluid. They just smiled at each other, not wanting to break off a new bond that has been established, another special moment, and another first they had shared. Sure, Emilia was a cheerleader, dancing and moving her body to the music had been a routine she did on a daily basis. But this? A slow romantic dance with a person she was falling for? She never thought she could have it so soon. As they realized that the song had repeated more than 3 times, they stopped their movements.

"So, can I show you your gift now?" Emilia asked as she looked up and gazed at Alex's eyes.

"Sure!" Alex replied excitedly, grinning wide, she felt like a child on a Christmas morning. But then again she knew, the feeling she had…nothing else could compare with it.

Emilia started to guide Alex inside her bedroom. She gestured Alex to take a sit on her bed while she walked over to her dresser, opened up the bottom drawer and pulled out a digital frame. She made her way back to Alex, holding the frame close to her chest. She sat down beside Alex, moved her body to face her girlfriend.

"So…I've been thinking about what you told me the other day…" Emilia watched as Alex's eyebrows scrunched up in curiosity. "…you know, about the upcoming Comic Con and I've decided that I would love to go with you. I already bought us the tickets." Emilia stated cheerfully.

"Really?!" Alex's eyes widened with a glimmer, her smile grew wider, it was totally better than Christmas morning and her birthday combined. Her girlfriend, her totally hot and sexy girlfriend who absolutely have no interest in the world of comic books or these sci-fi movies and series she is interested in has agreed to go with her, to Comic Con, a place where some of the dorkiest of the dorkiest people gather around to mush about the fictional worlds of superpowers, sophisticated technologies, and weird creatures.

"Really." Emilia nodded assuredly. "…and, I've started to make up the costume I'll be wearing. And I want to show it to you now; I wanna know your opinion on it." Emilia explained as she started to lay down the digital frame in between them, as she was about to click on the power button, she looked up again, slightly nervous. "But...it's only the top part, it's not finished yet. So…"

"I'm sure it'll be the greatest top I've ever seen." Alex said in conviction.

Emilia took a long breath before finally clicked on the button and quickly a digital 3D image appeared, projected out from the frame. Alex didn't even need a second to recognize the costume, her heart jumped instantly, her breath hitched, if it's possible she was sure her eyes would come out of their sockets just from how wide they grew from seeing the surprise and it was the best kind of surprise, because there she was, looking at an image of her girlfriend wearing the top half of the famous Princess Leia's Metal Bikini. _The _same metal bikini that cover almost nothing, she could feel that her jaw almost dropped, Emilia is definitely the hottest girl on the planet, with her toned abs, her slender body, her beautiful long wavy brown hair tied up in braids, it was perfection. It took a while for Alex to regain her composure, clearing her throat a couple of times before speaking up. She knew she wasn't fooling anyone but she had to try to remain calm and not being a complete dork.

Emilia saw her girlfriend's reaction; every little bit of movements she made, she already knew that Alex was totally excited about the costume and she gotta admit that she was proud to be able to make Alex squirmed and gulped when she saw the image for the first time, it was her goal indeed. But still, she was unsure of herself, of what Alex really thought of it, what if she can't pull it off? What if she doesn't have the body to show off the sexiness the costume should convey? She just needed to know, she needed Alex to assure her. "So…what do you think?"

_What do I think? What do I think? Really?! _Alex was still lost for words, so she did the one thing she does every time her tongue can't seem to form words properly. She eagerly leaned in, captured Emilia's bottom lip between hers, pulling her closer by the hand she put on the back of Emilia's head. When Emilia kissed back, she started to move slowly, but still passionately, deepening the kiss. When it finally died down to small short pecks, with their eyes still closed, they pressed their foreheads together while Emilia could only mutter out a silent 'wow'.

"…I take it you like the costume?" Emilia said as they both started to open their eyes.

"Like it? I LOVE IT! You're like…a goddess! You're so beautiful Millie…and you're hot! So so sexy…" Alex trailed off almost breathlessly.

"…but?" Emilia sensed the slight hesitation in Alex's voice.

"But…you can't wear it to the convention." Alex stated firmly, holding Emilia's hand in her lap.

"What? Why? I thought you'd be excited for me to…"

"Because I don't want to share you, _any_ part of you with anybody else. Sure, it would be so cool to parade around my beautiful sexy girlfriend; people would know that I'm the luckiest girl alive. But I can't have those other dorks gawking at you. I've had too much of it already at school. I just can't. I know I might sound conservative, possessive or whatever but you're mine, as I'm yours and I don't want people taking advantage of you even in the form of checking out your beautiful body. I can't have that." Alex interjected immediately, with a serious tone in her voice but softness still lingered in her eyes.

Emilia smiled lovingly, running her hand through Alex's hair. How could she be so lucky? Alex was everything she could ever ask for, even more. She never thought she would know of love this soon, she never thought she could feel how it is to love and be loved when she was still so young, but feel it she did. She just wished Alex felt the same way, though she realized that it would be too soon to declare it. So she bit her tongue and just leaned in for another kiss.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Emilia stated as she pulled away from the kiss.

"No, _you're _amazing. Thank you for doing this for me." Alex said softly.

"Okay then, now that we settled on me not wearing this one, why should I wear then?" Emilia asked curiously, thinking it herself, tapping her index finger on her chin.

"Well I thought we could go as Chuck and Sarah Walker, you could wear this leather suit or something, I know you like them too when I showed you the series." Alex suggested, raising her eyebrows in anticipation.

"That's a great idea! I do like how sassy and cool Sarah could be! I'd be sure to start making up the costume." Emilia answered, clapping her hands excitedly in front of her chest.

"Good, it's a deal then!" Alex concluded before she remembered something and her eyebrows scrunched instantly.

"What's up, babe?" Emilia noticed the changing expression, moving her hand to touch Alex's upper arm.

"Hmm…I guess I just need to talk to my moms about it first."

"Why?"

"Because mama still manages to drag out my mom to the convention every year, and they can be dressing up in the same costumes. We can't show up in the same costumes my parents wear, can we?" Alex answered, almost pouting.

Emilia laughed hard, shaking her head; she could even feel a single tear falling of from the corner of her eye. She wiped it out with the back of her hand. "Oh God, I still can't believe your moms would still go too…"

Alex huffed. "Well, where do you think I get all this quirks and charms if not from the biggest nerd that is my mama. I could have inherited my mom's athleticism, her easy-going personality, or her grace but noooo…I'm stuck with all of my mama's best quality."

Emilia took Alex's hand, looking at her earnestly. "…and that's exactly why I am falling for you."

* * *

**P.S. **So what do you think? More or…? I do still have at least two chapters in mind; the next would be focused on 'the talk' between the moms and their teenage daughter. Should I? Or should I just focus on my main story? Let me know, I'd appreciate it so much! And to those who read **Reminiscence**, I can assure you that I haven't abandoned it, my life…just took an unexpected and sadly unpleasant turn. But I'm working on it.

And yes, that image I use for this story is mine indeed, maybe we can imagine that's how Emilia would look like LOL


	3. Ch 3 : The Talk

**Author's Note : **So here it is! It's…it's…something. It is about the talk, but when I was writing it, halfway through it, I realized 'what the hell do I know about _the _talk?' You see, I never got one, that's not how it works over here. But yeah, I've managed to come up with…_this_. So…that's my two cents. Do tell what you think of it! Those reviews I got? They were _ah-mazing_! You guys are so awesome! Thank you for all the sweet words. I really appreciate it.

* * *

Alex should know better than this. She is a smart girl, an honorary student. She did know better than this. She knew there was a reason why she prefer doing her chemistry homework on her desk while Emilia plopped herself down on her bed, going through her history textbook for the upcoming test. She knew they would need the distance to avoid any distraction. She knew they should have just gone downstairs for the so-called study break, what would people on study breaks? Get some drinks, eat some snacks, and move around the house to just loosen up their tense body, that's what people normally do. What they were doing clearly wasn't one of those things. But really who could blame her? When it comes to teenage hormones, wits and brain can't compare right? And Emilia being so irresistible didn't help with the matter.

So there she was, on top of her gorgeous girlfriend, crashing her lips hard to that plump soft flesh that was Emilia's lips. How they got to that point was beyond her, at first she just laid down next to Emilia, claiming that she needs a break from all the studying. She took her glasses off, closed her eyes, wanting to rest them for a while. The next thing she knew, Emilia stroked her hair softly and kissed her cheek oh so gently. Of course, it didn't stop there, hearing her girlfriend hummed from the sensation, Emilia got even more courageous. She decided to kiss all over Alex's face, her forehead, her temple, her eyes, her nose, her chin, her jaw line and when those lips finally ended up on Alex's, the younger girl couldn't really resist anymore. Alex pushed Emilia down on her back, taking control, intending on returning those said kisses. Her hands began to roam freely, one ended up brushing Emilia's cheek while the other played with the hem of her shirt, rubbing her side, basking on the heat she felt on her fingertips.

It was innocent enough, really. But both of them got carried away, as Alex starting to kiss Emilia's neck, nipping and sucking on her pulse point, got her girlfriend to moan softly, and the latter girl's hand involuntarily moved upwards, dragging Alex's shirt up, exposing her lower back. Teenage hormones, remember? So neither of them was prepared for what happened next, they didn't hear the footsteps ascending the stairs nor walking through the hallway and they obviously missed the shock look on Emily's face when she decided to peek inside the slightly opened door of Alex's bedroom. But of course they didn't miss…

"Alexis Lucia McCullers! Downstairs, now!"

* * *

Alex had nowhere else to look at aside her own feet. Her hands got nowhere else to be aside from the edge of the stool she was sitting on. Clearly she didn't have the courage to look up, she didn't even have to see it with her eyes; she could already feel her mom was glaring at her. She really wanted this to be over. She'd take whatever punishment her mom would bestow upon her, she'd happily comply with it. Anything else would be better, as long as she could avoid this awkward moment and the deadly silence looming around the air. She wished her mama would get home sooner so they could get over it quickly.

"So…mama is probably gonna be tired when she's home, we can just…" Alex said nervously.

"No! We're gonna talk about this now!" Emily dismissed her, crossing her hands in front of her chest, looking at her squirming daughter intensely. Alex got to see it firsthand, how scary her mom can be, suddenly she felt bad for her mama having to put up with it all these years.

Alex sighed, rubbing her arm, trying to calm her nerves. They both looked up when they heard the beeping sound of the front door's key system being logged in. Alex got a little relaxed, it's not that she assumed her mama would take her side, but at least she definitely wouldn't give her a lethal stare. They turned their heads to the doorway when there were footsteps approaching the kitchen area. When Paige came into view, Alex let out a breath of relief; it was like seeing a superhero coming to your rescue. Paige was occupied with her messenger bag, shoving in some stuff, her coat hanging on her arm, a bundle of papers stuck in between her arm and her side. When she looked up, greeted by the intense atmosphere surrounding her wife's angry face and her daughter's defeated slump, she realized something was going on.

"O..kay, what did I just walk into here?" Paige asked, making her way into the kitchen area, putting down her things on the counter.

"You and I need to have the talk with our daughter." Emily said coldly.

"What kind of talk?" Paige asked, not catching up fast enough.

"_The _talk." Emily clarified.

"Oh…_Oh!_" Paige finally caught on, arching her eyebrows questioningly at her daughter. "So…what happened?" She asked as she moved over to her wife's side, sitting down on the stool across her daughter.

"I caught her doing it with Emilia earlier in her room…"

"We weren't doing _it_, Mom. We were just making out!" Alex interjected defensively.

"And if I didn't walk in on you, it would progress into more for sure." Emily challenged. "You didn't see what I saw, Paige."

"You and Ma know I wouldn't do anything…disrespectful, I swear. We just…got carried away…"

"Oh I'm sure you did, I know how it is." Paige smirked mischievously.

"Paige! We're supposed to tell her that what she did was not acceptable." Emily reprimanded her wife, giving her a warning look. She turned to focus on her daughter again, her lethal stare still intact. "Clearly you misused the trust we gave you."

Alex only dipped her head lower, biting her lip. She wanted to defend herself, but really, what could she possibly say to change her mom's mind? She could only hope that they would still allow Emilia to come to their house. Paige noticed how stressed her daughter was, she did think that Alex might have broken some boundaries but she knew her daughter was a responsible kid. Alex is clearly way more responsible compared to other kids her age. Paige almost snickered to herself, realizing how her role has reversed now. She still remembers it clearly, the one time her parents sat her down and gave her the talk. It was beyond awkward. She couldn't help but sympathize with Alex's predicament.

"Em, I think you're making it sounds worse than…" Emily was about to open her mouth to protest but Paige didn't let her. "…no, listen. We both know that we're gonna be hypocrites for giving Alex a hard time over…_this_." Hearing those words, the corner of Alex's lips started to turn upwards. "And no, that doesn't mean you're off the hook, Alex. We still need to talk, to at least tell you what's right…when it comes to…_sex_."

Alex flinched at the word, she started to shift uncomfortably. "Really, we didn't intend to…Millie came here to study, you both know that. I still follow the open door policy you gave me even though you weren't here." Alex looked directly to her mom, Paige glanced over to see Emily's response, and her small nod confirmed that Alex did tell them the truth. "Earlier, we were supposed to have a study break and we just got…distracted. I promise it won't happen again. And it's not Millie's fault, please don't ban her from this house…"

"We're not trying to blame anyone here. You know your mom and I love Millie, we're not gonna do such thing, right, Em?" Paige confirmed, rubbing her wife's upper arm, trying to calm her down a little bit and it seemed to work, Emily let her hands fall on her side as her expression got softer.

"Look, Alex…" Emily started as she took Paige's hand; her wife's presence always makes her feel at ease and helps her think clearly. Obviously she wasn't thinking when she was fuming with unnecessary anger. "We both know how it feels; we were once your age too. We just want to make sure that you know the right thing to do, deciding on whether you're ready or not to take that step. And it's not just about the…technicality of it. It's about what sex supposed to mean. It's not just physical. It can't be all about lust and those hormonal urges…"

"I know, mom…"

"I know you might think it's none of our business. And you know we both respect you as a person, a growing adult. But, have you and Millie…?" Paige inquired.

"No, we haven't." Alex answered truthfully.

"Have you ever talked about it though?" Emily pressed on, realizing that Paige's way of having the talk was far more effective to get their daughter to open up.

Alex thought about it for a while. Yes, she did feel a little bit defensive about it and of course super uncomfortable, but she didn't see the point of avoiding the question. "We have…a couple of times. But we both know we're not ready yet."

"It's good that you've talked about it. No matter what, communication is important in a relationship. You should discuss what you both want. I can already tell that you and Millie are going to last, that you both want it to last. So just, take it step by step, don't rush into things." Paige explained softly.

"And…we want you to feel like you can come to us about it. We can even provide you with the necessary information. We know that these days, it's so easy to find anything you need on the internet, but there are more reliable sources for these…things. I'm sure you understand it already, but it wouldn't hurt to read more about it, there's pamphlets, or…"

"Why do we need to give her those tedious electronic pamphlets? We know it firsthand, we can just…"

"Paige! We're here to inform her, not encourage her more into doing it!" Emily warned, shaking her head at how easy her wife seems to be handling the matter at hand.

"Yeah, but we know better, at least I don't want to be cryptic or vague about it like our parents were. They didn't know how to handle…us being together. They were clueless and so they needed those pamphlets to educate themselves." Paige argued.

"But it's not like we can just tell her all about it…"

"Why not? Don't you think it's better for her to know about it from us than from other sources?"

"You make it sound that you want to teach the child how to…"

"That is not what I'm trying to say…"

The couple continued to argue over the best course they should take to handle the situation. Clearly, they should have discussed it before between the two of them. It never crossed their minds that time would fly by so fast and the next thing they know, their daughter is all grown up and facing a much more complicated matter. Alex looked back and forth at her moms; they seemed to have forgotten that she was still sitting there. "Um...Mom? Mama?" Alex waved a little, trying to get her parents' attention.

Emily and Paige stopped bickering, looking at their daughter almost comically. They both cleared their throats awkwardly, returning their gazes to Alex. "Right, hmm, sorry you have to witness that." Paige regained her composure back. "Alex, look, what we are trying to tell you is that…when you love someone, really love someone, you have the urge to give them everything and sometimes it goes against your better judgment. But in the end, it's a matter of readiness. In my case, I remembered back then, how nervous I was just thinking about kissing your mom, it was only for kissing and I was a nervous wreck, and of course it didn't help that she was more experienced than me…"

"I was not more _experienced_!" Emily retorted.

"Yes you were, you had your first kiss when you were twelve."

"Wait I thought you are each other's first kiss?" Alex asked curiously.

"Sadly no, remember how I told you that your mom liked to date around?" Paige responded, feigning disappointment.

"You make it sound like I was a player or something…" Emily huffed, pouting.

"I'm just kidding, Em, relax." Paige chuckled, giving her wife a kiss on the side of her head. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, firsts are a big deal, especially your first time being intimate. You literally and figuratively give your partner everything. There's no more pretenses, no more barriers. You let yourself be exposed; it's when you're most vulnerable. Because in the end you give something that you can't have back. And don't get me wrong, it's something beautiful, cause then you know you have a piece of each other embedded deep in you. You have a new level of bond, trust, and closeness. You carry her in your heart always, as she carries you. But of course, it can be terrifying if you're still figuring things out. Is she right for you? Will it last long enough to be worth giving yourself away?"

"And people would say when the time is right, it's right. But sometimes it has nothing to do with time, there's no time frame for this. It's not like you've been together for a while then it means you should do it, to validate your relationship or something. Your mama and I, we had our first time after we'd been together for almost a year. It's not like we weren't tempted to do it, but we knew that we needed to build a very strong foundation to reach that level of openness and comfort. And also because we knew that we both wanted to be together for a very long time, so we took the time to really get to know each other first. We grew together as a couple and apart as individuals. With that strong foundation we believed that whatever it was we had to face, we were gonna get through it. In the end, when we did do it, we felt like it really was…_right_. We were both ready." Emily continued on, looking at her wife for affirmation, making sure that they were on the same page this time. Paige nodded slightly with a soft smile on her face.

"Now that you're talking about…time frame, Millie and I, we got to talk about it because we thought we need to do…_it_, before I go to Seattle for that internship. Graduating a year early has made me feel like I'm running out of time to be with her. And that…sex would make our relationship stronger." Alex decided that it was okay to share it with her parents.

"Okay, and do you really believe that? That your relationship as it is now is not strong enough to get you through 10 months apart? Does she?" Paige questioned, giving her daughter a supportive look.

"I guess not…It's just, whenever I see her, all I can think about is how possible it is to have what you and mom have. When I see her, I can already imagine my future and no matter what I end up doing, no matter where, I know for sure I want her by my side. Some people may say that it's too early for me to think this far ahead. I know how hard it can be. I know it's not always gonna be good times, but I want that, I want her. I believe it's not gonna change anytime soon. I know we might grow into different people, but I'm sure we can grow together. Even with all her quirks and flaws, even with mine, we complement each other perfectly. I don't think I can find anyone else that's imperfectly perfect for me." Alex explained firmly, she couldn't help but be honest, of her feelings, her dreams, and her hopes.

Paige and Emily could only see their daughter in admiration, smiling as they really did know how it feels to be in love and think that anything in the world is possible, that nothing is stronger and truer than the kind of love they share. "Then tell Millie that. All of the things you just told us. I'm sure you haven't told her, right?" Emily suggested, reaching out her hand to touch Alex's hand that was lying on the counter.

"I'm afraid to tell her, what if I freak her out? I feel like I have you two to blame, for wanting this, for believing that first love can be my true love, but I am also grateful because I know for sure that it's reachable, that if I feel like I've found the one and I work hard enough on myself, on us, we'll be together in the end. But she doesn't know that, maybe she doesn't even feel the same way." Alex argued pessimistically.

"And you don't know that either, don't dwell with the what ifs. Focus on what is really going on. Tell her, and if she doesn't feel the same way, at least you'll know for sure. And then you can dwell, you can wallow, after that you'll find the strength to move on. But I don't think that would be the case." Paige reasoned with a soft supportive look on her face.

Alex looked down, silently considering on her options. When she looked up, she saw that her parents were looking at her earnestly. "Okay, I will." She nodded her head a couple times, smiling gratefully at her moms. "Thank you so much for this…"

"You know you can always come to us for anything, remember that, okay?" Paige said as she stood up and walked over to where her daughter was sitting. She then kissed the top of Alex's head, hugging Alex's shoulder.

"But don't think we forget about our initial conversation. You still need to respect that there are boundaries and you still need to consider a lot of things before you…cross that bridge." Emily pointed out, though not as stern as she was minutes ago.

"Yes, Mom. I understand, don't worry. It won't happen again…"

"At least not when we're in the house, right?" Paige said teasingly.

"Paige! You really need to stop giving her ideas!" Emily warned.

"I was kidding! Jeez…" Paige shot back. Alex shook her head in amusement. "Anyway go upstairs and do your homework or something. And I'm sure Millie is anxiously waiting to hear from you by now." Paige suggested knowingly before she once again kissed the top of Alex's head.

Alex jumped out off her seat, walked over to her mom to hug her, and Emily kissed her goodnight. She rounded the counter once again but before she could step any further, her mama came closer as she whispered in her ear, loud enough for Emily to hear it too. "But when you do cross the bridge, you know I can give you some pointers…"

"PAIGE!" Emily admonished though she couldn't hide the growing disbelief grin on her face. Alex's eyes widened, her mouth slightly opened. Then she covered her ears and ran out the room, her face flushed deep red in embarrassment, yelling out. "Good night, mom, mama!

Paige was smirking as she turned her gaze to her wife. "You are unbelievable." Emily shook her head, with both hands on her hips again.

"Oh come on, I was just playing, you gotta admit that the look on Alex's face was priceless." Paige dismissed her wife's annoyance as she moved over to Emily's side. "Hi." She said as she was finally face to face with her wife, circling her arms on Emily's waist.

Emily's posture got soften by the touch, by the proximity they were in, the warmth of her wife's embrace and the longing look on Paige's face. "Hi." Emily smiled contently, her eyes fixed at Paige's as her hands automatically draped over Paige's shoulders.

"We did good with that, right?" Emily asked with a concern voice tone. She really hoped that they didn't mess up on how being good parents suppose to be.

"We were unprepared but I believe we did good. At least one thing for sure it's that we have 6 or 7 years to prepare ourselves for the talk with Nate. And we both know that's gonna include one 'equipment' we both not familiar with." Paige noted, smirking at the thought.

Emily groaned and buried her face on the crook of Paige's neck. "Ugh, you're right. Maybe we should leave that to Spencer and Toby, I'm sure they won't mind straightening out our son." Emily muttered out with a slight irritation.

"I guess so. Anyway, you haven't kissed me my welcome home kiss." Paige pointed out, smirking mischievously.

"Sorry, I got distracted." Emily said as she leaned in to kiss her wife passionately. No amount of time can ever change the fact that Paige's lips on hers would always cause her to tremble in pleasure, that Paige's touch would always make her skin burns with expectation.

After a while, Paige pulled away, taking in the much needed breath. Her eyes still closed, the taste of Emily lingered on her lips. She pressed her forehead against her wife's. "You know maybe we can…" Paige trailed off breathlessly, but the suggestive tone was clear enough.

"We can't. The kids are upstairs. They can hear us…" Emily reasoned as she slowly opened her eyes only to be greeted with Paige's smug grin.

"I guess that's the benefit of having a pool house outside." Paige smirked seductively, wiggling her eyebrows.

Before Emily could respond, she felt Paige's hands going to the back of her thighs, the next thing she knew, Paige lifted her up abruptly. She yelped involuntarily, surprised by the action, but her legs instinctively wrapped around Paige's waist.

"Come on, Em, let's reenact our first time…" Paige latched on her lips on Emily's collar bone. "…our second time…" Her lips sucked aggressively on Emily's pulse point. "…our third time..." as Paige's lips moved further up, nipping on the soft spot behind Emily's ear, rewarded by her wife's soft moan. "What do you say?" Paige mumbled against Emily's neck.

"Paige?" Emily called out, causing Paige to look up, her eyebrows arching expectantly. "Just shut up, and take me." Emily managed to mutter out before she crashed her lips with Paige's, feeling her wife move toward the backdoor of the house.

* * *

**P.S. : **Till next time! But what do you say; should there be a next time?


End file.
